Category Uncategorized

An update has emerged on Liverpool and their efforts to overhaul their midfield options ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign…

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Reds are in contact with Southampton over a potential deal to sign Romeo Lavia in the summer transfer window.

This follows their already-completed moves to sign Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton and Dominik Szoboszlai from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

Speaking on his YouTube channel on Sunday, the reporter said:

“Liverpool are now into the race and as I already mentioned, they are into this. They are working on Romeo Lavia and they are now having direct contacts on both player and club side.

“So, Liverpool and Arsenal are into the race and the two clubs pushing. It’s crucial to say though for Liverpool that despite signing Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, there is still the desire to bring in new players. A defensive midfielder, like Lavia. So, Romeo Lavia is now a target for Liverpool. Southampton are demanding around £50m, which is why there’s been no bid yet.”

Where would Romeo Lavia fit in at Liverpool?

The Belgian is a holding midfield player who could slot in alongside the likes of Mac Allister and Szoboszlai to screen in front of the defence.

Having a defensive-minded enforcer like Lavia alongside two creative players, while also having Fabinho as an option and Trent Alexander-Arnold inverting from right-back into central positions, could be terrible news for club captain Jordan Henderson.

The 33-year-old skipper could find his game time restricted by these new additions to the midfield, after already seeing his starts diminish over the last two seasons.

Henderson started 29 of his 35 Premier League appearances during the 2021/22 campaign before being named in the XI 23 times out of 35 outings last term.

The England international could find it difficult to get in the side over Lavia on a regular basis as the Saints ace has the potential to offer a great deal more quality out of possession.

He averaged 3.2 tackles and interceptions per game along with a duel success rate of 56% last season, while the Liverpool gem made 1.5 per outing and won 50% of his battles.

Those numbers are made all the more impressive when you consider that no Reds player with at least 15 starts managed more tackles and interceptions per league match than Lavia, who started 26 times for Southampton.

Indeed, the Belgian prodigy clearly has the quality to win the ball back for his side at an impressive rate.

The teenager, who has been hailed as a "special player" by journalist Dan George, could be an excellent anchor at the base of the midfield and as such, his arrival would be terrible news for Henderson as it could tempt Jurgen Klopp to reduce the Englishman's game time.

Leeds United are thought to be interested in signing Coventry City midfielder Gustavo Hamer this summer, according to a fresh update.

Who is Gustavo Hamer?

The 25-year-old is coming off the back of an excellent season, both individually and with his team, helping Coventry reach the Championship playoff final last month. While they eventually lost to Luton Town on penalties in the showcase event at Wembley, it was still a positive campaign overall.

In Hamer, they had arguably one of the standout players in the division, with the Dutchman scoring 11 goals and registering 10 assists in 44 league appearances, including the equaliser against Luton in the aforementioned final, and a match-winning strike in the semis away to Middlesbrough.

With Leeds looking to make positive inroads in the transfer market upon their return to the Championship – 49ers Enterprises' takeover could further aid their spending – it looks as though the Coventry man is on their radar.

Could Leeds make move for Hamer?

That's according to Football League World, who claim that the Whites are "plotting a very ambitious raid" for Hamer before the beginning of next season. The report also adds that they "want to make Hamer their marquee signing this summer in a bid to strengthen their midfield, and he could be the Marc Roca replacement."

That being said, there is believed to be some "doubt" at Elland Road over whether they could get the £5,200-a-week star, because there is "expected to be interest from elsewhere in Europe."

Hamers could be a fantastic signing by Leeds if they manage to pip others to his signature, acting as an immediate statement of intent in the summer window, suggesting that they mean business and want to be one of the favourites to earn automatic promotion.

His performances for Coventry last season were instrumental in them reaching the playoff final and his end product from midfield areas is something that the Whites lacked in 2022/23, with Jack Harrison the second-top scorer in the Premier League with just five goals.

Hamer has been described as "phenomenal" by Coventry manager Mark Robins, such has been the level of his impact, and with his current deal expiring next year, this will be the last chance for the Sky Blues to earn good money for him. That certainly acts as a boost for Leeds, but as the report mentions, whether they are able to compete with European clubs remains to be seen.

Manchester United are reportedly plotting a move for Wolfsburg midfielder, Felix Nmecha, with the German maestro potentially set to be available on the cheap this summer.

What's the latest on Nmecha to Man United?

According to SPORT1, the Red Devils are said to have 'thrown their hat into the ring' with regard to the signing of the 22-year-old, with the Premier League giants ready to rival Borussia Dortmund in the battle for the playmaker's signature.

The report suggests that United have already held talks with the player's father ahead of a potential move to Old Trafford, with the youngster potentially set to be available for as little as €15m (£13m), due to his expiring contract.

This comes amid reports that Newcastle United are also readying a bid for the former Manchester City youth product, ensuring that Erik ten Hag and co may have a fight on their hands if they are to land an agreement.

Who is Felix Nmecha?

The one-cap Germany international – who previously turned out for England at youth level – began life on the books at the Etihad, before sealing a free transfer switch to Germany back in the summer of 2021, following his old brother, Lukas who had made an earlier £11m move to Wolfsburg.

In the case of the younger man – who made just three appearances for City at first-team level – the promising midfielder appears to have blossomed following that move to the Bundesliga outfit, with current boss Niko Kovac having recently stated:

"Previously, he never got into a rhythm. He played in so many different positions. Now he's playing in midfield and you can see his technical ability. He has [also] improved physically."

That consistent run in the side in a midfield berth appears to have paid dividends for the Hamburg native as he racked up three goals and six assists in 30 league games in 2022/23, having also received hefty praise from journalist Josh Bunting, who stated:

"He’s very quick,technical ability is good, a ball carrying number 8, strong in his duels and has an intelligent eye for a final pass."

That latter trait could ensure that Nmecha proves to be a dream heir to current United man Christian Eriksen, with the 31-year-old having also been lauded as a "player who plays with intelligence" by club legend, Paul Scholes.

Having been signed on a free transfer last summer, the Danish ace went on to provide two goals and ten assists in 44 games in all competitions in the most recent campaign, thus mirroring Nmecha in that ability to be a creative spark from the centre of the park.

A more youthful alternative to the one-time Tottenham Hotspur man may be in order amid Eriksen's recent woes since returning from injury, however, with journalist Scott Saunders highlighting the 120-cap gem's physical shortcomings after stating that he is "bypassed too easily in a deep role".

Nmecha, therefore, could offer greater athleticism in that midfield berth – shown by the fact that he ranks in the top 19% among his European peers for successful take-ons – as well as a superior defensive presence, with the 6 foot 2 starlet ranking in the top 7% for aerial duels won.

Eriksen, by contrast, ranks in just the bottom 18% and the bottom 12% for those same two metrics, respectively, while the experienced asset also averaged just 0.8 tackles and 0.4 interceptions per game from his 28 league outings, while the former City ace averaged 1.4 tackles and 0.8 interceptions per game from his 30 league appearances.

With Nmecha evidently able to replicate Eriksen's creative brilliance as well as being able to offer a greater work ethic in midfield, the £2k-per-week ace could well represent a long-term successor and replacement for the gifted Dane.

أعرب وسام أبوعلي، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، عن سعادته بالعودة للمشاركة في التدريبات الجماعية بعد تعافيه من الإصابة، ووجوده ضمن بعثة الأهلي المتواجدة حالياً في غانا لخوض مباراة ميدياما في دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

ويلتقى الأهلي مع ميدياما الغاني، على أرضية استاد TNA بارك بمدينة كوماسي الغانية في خضم منافسات الجولة الخامسة من دور المجموعات، في السادسة من مساء غد الجمعة.

وقال وسام أبوعلي في تصريحات للموقع الرسمي للأهلي: “سبق لي السفر مع الفريق في معسكر الإمارات وخوضت مباريات ودية، إلا أن وجودي مع الأهلي في غانا أمر مختلف، نحن مقبلين على مباراة صعبة أمام ميدياما، وفي بطولة بحجم دوري أبطال إفريقيا التي يتطلع الأهلي إلى التتويج بها، وإضافة لقب جديد للنادي على الصعيد القاري”.

طالع أيضاً.. الآهلي يسعى لحسم الصعود إلى ربع نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا أمام ميدياما الغاني

وأضاف: “أنا سعيد بوجودي مع الأهلي، ولدي حماس كبير للتواجد مع الفريق ومساعدته خلال المباريات الرسمية، كما أن المشاركة مع الأهلي خلال المواجهات الرسمية سوف تساهم في زيادة معدل انسجامي مع الفريق، أترقب ظهوري الأول على المستوى الرسمي”.

وأوضح: “سعيد بالدعم الكبير الذي وجدته منذ وصولي لمصر وانضمامي للأهلي، سواء على المستوى الجماهيري أو زملائي بالفريق، وهذا يسعدني ويمنحني دوافع قوية في بداية مشواري”.

واختتم: “أحلم بالتتويج بجميع البطولات مع الأهلي سواء على المستوى القاري أو المحلي، لإسعاد جماهير النادي التي طالما وجدت منها كل الدعم والمساندة لي في بداية مشواري”.

تغنى المدير الفني لمنتخب جنوب إفريقيا الأول، هوجو بروس، بحارسه، رونوين ويليامز، بعد تألقه وقيادته للأولاد من أجل التأهل إلى دور نصف النهائي من كأس أمم إفريقيا.

ونجح ويليامز في التصدي إلى 4 ركلات جزاء أمام الرأس الأخضر في نهاية المباراة أوصلت جنوب إفريقيا إلى المربع الذهبي لمواجهة نيجيريا يوم، الأربعاء المقبل.

ولكن قبل الوصول إلى ركلات الجزاء كان هناك تصدي رائع من ويليامز حيث أنقذ مرماه من هدف في الدقيقة 91 كان كفيلًا بمنح التأهل لصالح الرأس الأخضر.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ألكسندر سونج: منتخب الكاميرون لم يكن حرًا في كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023

وقال بروس عن حارسه في المؤتمر الصحفي: “ما حدث ليس حظًا، لدينا حارس جيد للغاية، إذا تمكن من التصدي لأربع ركلات جزاء فهذا لم يعد حظًا”.

واستمر: “لم يفعل ذلك فحسب، بل أنقذنا أيضًا قبل دقيقتين من نهاية المباراة بانفراد من لاعب الرأس الأخضر، لذلك نعم كان رجلًا للمباراة، ولا يمكننا اختيار أي لاعب آخر”.

وعن ماراثون ركلات الجزاء: “كان عمري قبل 6 ساعات 71 عامًا، والآن 75، كانت مباراة مرهقة للغاية”.

والتأهل إلى نصف النهائي: “ليس لدينا ما نخسره بعد الآن، وهذا لا يعني أننا لا نريد التأهل إلى النهائي، بالعكس ولكن لم تعد هناك أي ضغوط خاصة وأننا وصلنا إلى تلك المرحلة التي لم يتوقعها أي أحد في جنوب إفريقيا قبل البطولة”.

وأتم: “أمام الرأس الأخضر، كان اللاعبون متوترين بعض الشيء، لم يلعبوا كما كان الحال في المباريات الماضية ولكننا نجحنا في تلك البطولة”.

Batsman Tamim Iqbal has said that Bangladesh’s ongoing lengthy break from international cricket will hamper the team’s chances of performing at its best

Mohammad Isam29-Jun-2016

Batsman Tamim Iqbal has said that Bangladesh’s ongoing lengthy break from international cricket will hamper the team’s chances of performing at its best. He also suggested that other international sides should be more willing to play against Bangladesh.”After such a great season, we are not playing for six months,” Tamim told ESPNcricinfo. “It would definitely hamper us. People should be more interested in playing against us but instead we are sitting on the sidelines. We don’t know who we are going to play after six months. There’s no team in the world apart from Zimbabwe who sit out for so long between matches.”Bangladesh’s last international appearance was at the World T20 in India on March 26. Their next assignment is scheduled to be against England at home in October, after their maiden Test in India was pushed back to early next year. A proposed West Indies tour of Bangladesh in September is under discussion but is yet to be confirmed.Tamim said it was all the more frustrating to wait for international cricket after having had a successful 2015. Bangladesh reached the World Cup quarter-finals in early 2015, before going on to beat Pakistan, India, South Africa and Zimbabwe in consecutive ODI series at home. That string of wins secured their place in the 2017 Champions Trophy in England. In light of the team’s improvement, Tamim wondered why other teams were still reluctant to play Bangladesh.”Sitting for six months is not doing justice to anything,” he said. “I could have understood if we played like we did five years ago when our result was predictable, but after performing so well they still don’t want to play us, I don’t know.”Bangladesh have been growing accustomed to such long breaks in international cricket over the last five years. Usually they face a lull in Test cricket but, this time, they are missing out on all formats after busy 2015 and 2015-16 seasons. The BCB said that it was trying to get teams to play against Bangladesh but also felt that players needed a break after non-stop cricket for 15 months.Tamim said any team would suffer after such a prolonged break, and stressed that Bangladesh deserved more cricket at the highest level.”Take any top team and tell them to sit for six months,” Tamim said. “You will see how they perform after sitting for eight months. They won’t play the way they were playing.”

Pakistan batsman Mohammad Hafeez has been ruled out of the skills camp beginning on May 28 at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore, but doctors will continue to monitor his recovery from a knee injury on a weekly basis ahead of Pakistan’s tour of England which starts June 18.A fresh MRI scan on Hafeez revealed an improvement in his knee, first injured in March, but stress has been diagnosed and he may be rested for some time as a part of his continuing rehabilitation regimen. He had already missed the ongoing fitness training camp at the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad.Hafeez last played for Pakistan at the World T20 in March where he sustained the knee injury after a bone contusion in his femur. He has been resting since then and undergoing extensive treatment as a part of his rehabilitation. According to the latest report, doctors advised Hafeez against any net sessions. ESPNcricinfo understands Hafeez is desperate to restart his cricket but doctors are cautious about his injury which they fear could be aggravated if he tries to push for an early return.A final call on his participation in the England Test series is expected to be taken in the next three to four days. Pakistan’s 22 probables will be cut down to a final 16-man squad at the conclusion of the skills camp. The squad will leave for England to undergo a conditioning camp in Hampshire ahead of two practice matches in Somerset and Sussex before the first Test starts July 14 at Lord’s. The selectors had named four options among the probables for the opening slots, with the inclusion of Hafeez cited as subject to fitness.

West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Alex Palmer has returned to full training ahead of their Championship game against Stoke City on Saturday, according to reports.

What's the latest injury news on Palmer?

The Baggies earned a 2-2 draw with QPR at The Hawthorns on Monday and will now turn their attention towards this weekend as they travel to the bet365 Stadium to take on Alex Neil’s Potters.

The Midlands outfit’s shot-stopper has been on the sidelines for almost three months having sustained a serious ankle injury in training and hasn’t featured under Carlos Corberan since January. The Spanish boss has therefore had to rely on Josh Griffiths between the sticks, but a positive update has now emerged on the 26-year-old’s situation which supporters may well be relieved to hear.

As relayed by the Express and Star, Corberan confirmed that Palmer has staged his comeback on the training pitch and hinted that he won’t be far away from putting his gloves back on.

He said: "From the last four days, Palmer is making the normal training with the group. It’s true in a game situation he did not have exposure for a long time and during the international break unfortunately he had to slow more from using this time to help everyone in the recovery and be closer to the first team.

"He couldn’t use it in the way we wanted to use [it]. The games [over Easter] arrived very quickly and he was not able to play the B team game one week ago that was necessary to make him ready to play. But he was able to train normal after that game, and now, of course, arrives to one condition where every day, he is training normally, he starts to be more fit to help the team."

How good has Palmer been for West Brom?

Palmer has been hailed a “sublime” goalkeeper by journalist Josh Bunting, and we feel it’s great news for Corberan that he’s closing in on a return to action for West Brom.

The 6 foot 3 ace has kept ten clean sheets in 20 senior appearances for the Baggies, ranking him in the 98th percentile for clean sheet percentage compared to goalkeepers at a similar level over the past year. The £10k-p/w tank has also recorded 36 saves from 49 shots on target against and has a save percentage of 77.6%, as per FBRef, which shows how strong he is behind the ball and therefore could have a significant impact being back in his pride of place when able to do so.

Everton will head to Old Trafford for the early kick-off this afternoon for their Premier League clash with Manchester United, and Sean Dyche will be hoping his team can continue their unbeaten run.

The Toffees haven't lost in their last four league games but remain in a vulnerable position in the fight for survival as they are only outside of the relegation zone by goal difference, so taking points from Erik ten Hag's side will be crucial today.

In terms of injuries, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Andros Townsend remain unavailable for selection, whilst Ruben Vinagre will be subjected to a late fitness test following his return to training this week after having a tight Achilles.

Abdoulaye Doucoure will serve the first of his three-game suspension after picking up a red card at Goodison Park against Tottenham Hotspur following his controversial altercation with England captain Harry Kane.

How could Everton line up vs Manchester United?

Jordan Pickford (GK), Vitaliy Mykolenko (RB), James Tarkowski (CB), Michael Keane (CB), Ben Godfrey (LB), Idrissa Gana Gueye (CDM), James Garner (CM), Amadou Onana (CM), Dwight McNeil (RM), Alex Iwobi (LM), Demarai Gray (ST)

Football FanCast predicts that Dyche will make just two changes to his side that drew with Tottenham earlier this week, maintaining the 4-1-4-1 formation that has been successful for him.

The first change we expect to see is Vitaliy Mykolenko replacing club captain Seamus Coleman on the right side of the back four alongside another otherwise unchanged defensive setup of James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey.

The Ukrainian left-back replaced Coleman on the right in the game against Spurs, and within the 17 minutes left to play, he won five duels and five tackles, as well as making three clearances and completing 100% of his long balls – so a much-deserved start could be on the cards to freshen up and take advantage of an opportunity to rotate.

The second and final change we predict Dyche will make is one that the manager will have no choice over, with James Garner replacing Doucoure in the centre of the pitch whilst the midfielder serves his suspension.

The £30k-per-week Man United academy graduate – dubbed a "technician" by Steve Cooper – could be a secret weapon for Everton as he was an understudy to some of the players at Old Trafford, so his potential first-ever league start for the Toffees couldn't come at a better time.

Dyche will be well aware that playing the Red Devils a visit won't be an easy challenge; however, the consistency and confidence his team has shown in the formation deployed gives Everton a great opportunity to cause an upset in Manchester this afternoon.

Rangers legend Barry Ferguson has admitted that his former side were fortunate as opposition player Callum Slattery received a harsh red card in their latest victory.

What happened to Rangers against Motherwell?

Michael Beale's side won on the road in a dramatic game which ended 4-2, and were aided by the hosts going down to 10 men.

Rangers were 1-0 down when Slattery picked up his first yellow card, which was deserved after a strong tackle at the edge of the box. The visitors took full advantage, as James Tavernier equalised with the resulting free kick.

They eventually fought back to secure another league victory, with another three points secured before the controversial second yellow card. Slattery and Todd Cantwell tussled for the ball, and Slattery raised an arm which hit the Rangers midfielder.

The former Norwich star rolled around in agony, resulting in Slattery's second yellow to his disbelief, and replays showed that his hand made minimal contact with Cantwell's face.

Speaking on the Go Radio Football Show, Ferguson stated his belief that the referee got the decision wrong.

"I know that went to VAR, but the decision to send him off, I thought it was very harsh indeed," Ferguson stated.

"It was a flick of the hand, and that's what you naturally do – if you feel a player coming in, you put your arms out to try and protect the ball, and that's what Slattery's done.

"I think the reaction, maybe going with the referee, he's maybe thought it was an elbow, but surely the referee's close enough to see it wasn't an elbow, and for me it was never a booking."

Was Cantwell in the wrong?

Whilst the January signing did exaggerate the contact, which surely influenced the referee's decision, the fact there was some contact means he arguably had a right to complain about a foul.

Although not necessarily a dive, it seems that Cantwell's reaction to the contact is what ultimately caused the referee to give a second yellow card.

Given that the score was already 4-2 when Slattery was sent off, it did not have an impact on the outcome of the game, but there has already been anger directed at Cantwell for his role in the decision.

Former referee Steven Conroy has branded Cantwell a "cheat," and that Slattery was simply "marking his territory."

Cantwell opened his account for Rangers at Fir Park, but the occasion may have been marred as a result of his antics, given the angry reaction it has caused.